Dan Brown: The Lost SymbolHis newest novel is full of spiritual truths, historical facts, and information about our nation's forefathers, many of whom were members of the Masons. An exciting story even if there are some gaps in logic that left me shaking my head. He's not the best writer, but he does a lot of research into his subject matter.

Patricia Panahi: God Outside the Box: A Story of Breaking FreeI enjoyed Patricia's book and related to her spiritual quest and exploration of many different paths, religions and beliefs. The daughter of a Muslim father and Catholic mother, Patricia grew up in Iran and later came to the United States, where she began her quest to find God "outside the box". From rebirthing to shamanism,Hinduism to metaphysics, I felt like I was reliving my own spiritual journey. Patricia explores many concepts and ideas in her book, such as synchronicity, reincarnation, and sacred contracts. I was never bored. In fact, I didn't want the book to end. I'm now looking forward to her next book

Deepak Chopra: The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot IgnoreThe Jesus that Chopra presents to us is a teacher of God consciousness and a walking example of one who lived in this state of consciousness. I most resonate with this Jesus and even those who do not see themselves as Christians will be inspired and fed by the teachings of Jesus as they are presented by Chopra.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat Pray LoveA delightful memoir about Gilbert's one-year sabbatical following her divorce. She seeks to find pleasure again in Italy, to find God in an ashram in India, and balance in Indonesia learning from an old medicine man. A spiritual journey (and, in the end, a love story) that is fun, humorous and wonderfully told.

Byron Katie: Loving What IsThis book gives you the key to unlocking the door that can lead to a life of inner peace and joy. If everyone in the world would read this book there would be no more war.

Charles Fillmore: Metaphysical Bible DictionaryBased on the teachings of Jesus Christ, this book provides the esoteric meanings of words, names and places. A valuable resource for all Bible students who want to delve into metaphysical interpretation of scripture.

I am a big fan of Karl Anthony and his music. He shines a light into the world with his music and that light is so important today with the divisiveness, racism, and religious prejudice that is being expressed in this country and around the world. Karl did a powerful video that I want to share with you called "One Prayer". I hope that you will take a few minutes from your busy day and watch it.

I often use positve affirmations to keep my mind centered on Truth. I wish that I had learned about affirmations in my childhood, like this little girl. Watch this little wonder, Jessica, do her stuff and let it remind you about the power of your words and the importance of staying positive. You, too, can do anything!

I have been listening to arguments for and against the building of the mosque/community center in NYC close to Ground Zero. I had planned on writing something about this, but another blogger expressed my thoughts so well that I thought I would share her post with you. The author, Paula Coppol, is the Vice President of Communications at Unity. Here is a link to her article, which was posted on the Unity web site:

Mothere Teresa would be 100 years old if she was alive today. Her words are alive though, and they continue to inspire us. Watch this video and be reminded of what is really important in life. What can you do today to show love and kindness to another human being?

All of us have challenges that arise in our lives. It can be difficult in the midst of these challenges to see anything good coming from these events. It is a test of our faith and our ability to see things from a spiritual perspective and not from our ego, fear-based perspective. Here is a story that a friend sent to me:

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabitedisland. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned thehorizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood toprotect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. Oneday, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut inflames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened,and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. Hecried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching theisland! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked theweary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are goingbad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, evenin the midst of our pain and suffering.

We all go through challenges in life. It is part of our human experience. These challenges can be part of our transformation.

When we go through challenges, that is when we often turn to prayer. Prayer to some people is about contemplating God and becoming aware of God's presence in our life. To others, it is about meditation and listening to God. Others pray by talking to God and asking for help. While still others use affirmative prayer and speak words of Truth to help them to accept this Truth, to embrace it and to live in accord with it.

Sometimes we find ourselves praying for others. We see the ones we love going through trials and tribulations and we may feel helpless to do anything. So we reach out--or go inward--and pray for those loved ones.

If you'd like prayer support, there is a wonderful place called Silent Unity. They provide a free 24/7 prayer line that anyone can call to ask for prayer for themself or for others. It doesn't matter what your religion. And you can remain anonymous. If you call this number a person will answer and pray with you. Or, if you prefer, you can log on to their web site and request prayer. The toll free number for Silent Unity is 1-800-NOW-PRAY. All prayer requests are treated with reverence and confidentiality and are held in a continuous vigil of prayer for 30 days.

I have worked in the Silent Unity prayer room and it is a sacred place. There is a wonderful energy that you feel the minute you walk in the door. Each of the members of the prayer team take time to pray in a room where the prayer requests are kept for all the people who contact Silent Unity. They are prayed over consistently 24 hours a day. So there is a lot of prayer energy in that place!

I hope that you will listen to the video below. It features a song called "This Prayer's for You".

The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and Christian socialist, in 1892. The Pledge has been modified four times, with the last addition being "one nation under God" back in 1954.

There is another Pledge that I received recently which I really resonate with. Take a few minutes and listen to David Ault's version. It isn't the 15 second version like the Pledge of Allegiance was designed to be, for use in public schools. But this one calls us to a higher level of spiritual and moral integrity and commitment to our highest purpose. David is a social activist, inspirational speaker and vocalist.

Recently, I went to an opthamologist to get my annual eye exam. I was thinking about how my insurance would cover the cost of new eyeglasses and so my mind began to consider what kind of frames I would like as I sat in the doctor's waiting room.

The assistant tested my vision and dilated my pupils and then the doctor came into the darkened room and began to look into my eye. She seemed to linger over my left eye for quite some time and I overheard her say something to the assistant about a hole. After the doctor finished, she turned on the light and pulled her chair up next to me.

"You have a small hole in your retina," she said.

I felt a cold chill go through my body and I sat in stunned silence.

"I'm going to refer you to a specialist and we'll see if we can get you in right away." She went on to tell me that the holes can sometimes lead to a tear in the retina, which causes blindness. I might need laser surgery, she told me.

It was a lot to take in. Here I had just been thinking about what eyeglass frames I might get and now I was being told that there was a possibility that I could lose my vision in one eye.

She and the assistant left the room and I sat quietly taking in what I had just heard. It reminded me of the day when I learned that my hearing had been impaired drastically by antibiotic ear drops that I had been prescribed.

I found myself thinking, "First my hearing and now my vision. It's not fair."

The doctor came in and said that I was to drive right over to the specialist's office, and he would see me. The assistant gave me a pair of cardboard sunglasses to protect my still dilated eyes, and I left the office.

On the way to the specialist's office, I began to observe my thoughts and feelings and to consider what I believed. I knew that I needed to move away from the fear thoughts and feelings that I was experiencing. I needed to focus on what I wanted rather than the appearances and possibilities that had shaken me in the doctor's office.

I began to focus my attention on my eye and to see it healthy. I affirmed aloud that the indwelling presence of God was in all the cells of my body including the cells of my eye. I affirmed that this divine presence was healing the hole in my eye. I kept affirming this all the way over to the other doctor's office. When I arrived, I gave thanks for this healing that was taking place.

The specialist dimmed the lights in his office and peered into my eye with his instrument. He spent several minutes examining it. Then he pushed his chair back and began to make notes on his chart. I was quiet during this time, but my heart was racing.

"You are a very lucky lady," the doctor said finally. "The kind of hole that you have should heal on its own. He said that 90% of the time, this is what happens.

"Others are not so lucky," he added.

I let out my breath, which I seemed to have been holding, and tears began to stream down my cheeks. The doctor smiled and handed me a tissue. He said that I should come back in two months so that he could check my eye.

On the way home, I felt so grateful for my sight, something that I have always taken for granted in the past. I also realized that I needed to continue to focus on my eye being healed and not see it as damaged.

As all metaphysicians know, our thoughts impact our bodies. Science is also proving that as well. I took biofeedback lessons at one point to learn how to stop migraine headaches by increasing the warmth in my hands and feet. I had to think about my hands and feet growing warmer and picture it happening. And it worked.

What do you want to see in your future? That is what you should focus on now, at this moment.

What if you were to learn that Jesus did not come from a virgin birth—that Mary conceived him just as most of us were conceived? Would that have any affect on your faith? Would it change the way you feel about him?

There are only two references among the four gospels about a virgin birth. It is first mentioned in the book of Matthew, which was written around 80 years after the death of Jesus. As we begin reading the book of Matthew, we are presented with a very long genealogy of Jesus from King David to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This was given to substantiate that Jesus was the Hebrew messiah, born to reign on the throne of David.

However, one has to ask: Why then did the writer of Matthew feel the need to mention genealogy when he then goes on to say that Mary was a virgin and came about through no assistance from Joseph?Theologians say that the original Hebrew word used in the above passage was actually “almah” which meant a young woman—or maiden. It had to do with age rather than virginity.

The other gospel that mentions a virgin birth is Luke. The disciple Luke was Greek and the book itself reflects Greek mythology. There was heavy pagan influence at this time in the early history of Christianity. In Greek mythology, Perseus was born of the virgin Danae.In another Greek myth, Dionysius was born of the virgin Semele, impregnated by Zeus with a lightning bolt.

Because of the few instances in which the virgin birth is mentioned, many theologians believe that it may be something that was added to appeal to the gentiles that the early Christians were trying to convert at the time.

So, how do you feel about this? If Jesus did not come from a virgin birth, does it change your perception of him or your faith?

Yesterday, I attended the funeral of my Aunt Louise. Not caught up in perfectionism, like my (love you, Mom) dear mother, Aunt Louise believed that life was too short and having fun was the most important thing. If you wanted to get a picture in your mind of Aunt Louise, she reminded me a bit of Aunt Bea on the Andy Griffith Show. She had the same smile and sparkle in her eyes and she loved to laugh.

Before the funeral, my aunt's granddaughter pulled me over to the side and shared that before she died, Aunt Louise made the comment that my father had come to help her cross over. It didn't surprise me in the least bit as I thought he might. Before my father died back in 2002, he saw his mother who had died when he was four years old. I had spoken to him alone one day and told him that from my experience working with the dying, that many people had a loved one come to them to help make the transition. He had so longed for her to be the one. And sure emough, before he died he said, "Momma". I knew then that he'd gotten his wish.

In the book, Final Gifts, by hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley, the concept of Nearing Death Awarenenss is the primary topic. Nearing Death Awareness includes such things as seeing and communicating with loved ones who have already died and seeing what lies beyond this life (similar to Near Death experiences). These experiences of the dying can be their "final gift" to love ones, if we're aware and don't pass them off as being hallucinations or dreams. Not only are these experiences comforting to the dying, but they also bring comfort to us who are left behind as well.

Knowing that Aunt Louise is now with her little brother--my dad--is a comfort to our whole family. We can picture them telling their stories about the old days and laughing, just like they did at our family gatherings for so many years.

I have selected photographs that make me smile and brighten my day. I hope they will do that for you as well. Click on the photos to see an enlarged view. I invite you to visit often and see what I add to my collection.